King Charles is preparing to briefly step away from public life for his annual break at the family's long-time "cherished" Scottish residence, Balmoral Castle.
As the royal family get ready to retreat to the 50,000-acre estate in Aberdeenshire for the summer, the grounds will no longer be accessible to the public. Balmoral Castle's official website states that visitors are welcome to the grounds, gardens and exhibitions from 28 March to 9 August, after which it will shut its gates ahead of the royal family's arrival.
"The grounds, gardens, Mews Gift Shop, Restaurant and Ballroom Exhibition are now open daily until Sunday 9th August," the notice reads. From 10 August, the estate will remain temporarily closed to visitors for the duration of the summer. The grounds are expected to reopen for the autumn season from early October.
© Alamy Stock PhotoGeneral admission to the public includes access to the Castle Ballroom where visitors can view the year's exhibition. "You will be able to enjoy some of the walks around the grounds and have an opportunity to visit the Mews Gift Shop and the Restaurant," the estate website reads.
Charles was spotted in Scotland on Friday ahead of his annual summer holiday plans. Dressed in a traditional tartan kilt, the monarch was beaming as he met locals in Dingwall in the Scottish Highlands.
© Tim Graham Photo Library via Get'Uniquely special' home
Balmoral has been a beloved retreat for the royal family ever since Prince Albert purchased the estate nestled within the Cairngorms National Park for Queen Victoria in 1852. The residence has served as a private sanctuary for the royals to spend their summer in the Scottish Highlands each year, with Charles having a lifelong connection to the estate.
Queen Elizabeth II spent her final days at Balmoral before she died on 8 September 2022. In a heartfelt message following his mother's passing, Charles spoke fondly of the Scottish residence and its significance to his family.
"With its buildings of startling individuality, which never fail to fascinate, and its precious, almost sacred, surrounding landscape, it is a place where there is constant change, yet everything remains unaltered, with a sense of timelessness which refreshes the soul," he wrote in the foreword to a new official guidebook about the royal family's Scottish estate.
"Since my earliest childhood, it has held, and continues to hold, a uniquely special place in the hearts of my family and myself, and my late mother particularly treasured her time at Balmoral. It was here, in these most beloved of surroundings, that she chose to spend her final days," he added.
